Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join with what Senator Buttimer has said. I have met gardaí in all sorts of circumstances, for many a long year. The most recent time I met a garda was at 2 a.m., close to Lamb Doyles pub, when I was driving home. For the first time in 49 years, I was breathalysed. I am happy to say I passed, but it was a strange experience. I compliment the gardaí who are out on the beat and taking some of the abuse that they take.

Ms Hilman has blown me away with the statistics on the age spread. What was said is unbelievable. We are talking about teenagers right through to octogenarians. That is absolutely frightening. It sort of gives way to the lie that it is always young drivers who behave in this way. Clearly, it is not. I thank her for putting that on the record. It is very important.

My colleagues mentioned the speed control area on the Limerick to Dublin motorway. It is one of the greatest things that has been done in recent times. I do not know why it is not everywhere. I smile to myself when I am driving towards Limerick and some guy overtakes me at high speed. I think that he can fire away and that he is dead. I am sure there is a considerable change in behaviour on that stretch of road. I have to compliment the speed control area and I am sure we should have more of them.

On the downside, I ask those involved to stop parking the speed van on the N11, on the little slip road down to Stillorgan, because we all drive slowly down to it and then boot on afterwards, until we get down to-----